Children's understanding of the Ulysses conflict

Two studies explored children's understanding of how the presence of conflicting mental states in a single mind can lead people to act so as to subvert their own desires. Study 1 analyzed explanations by children (4--7 years) and adults of behaviors arising from this sort of 'Ulysses conflict' and compared them with their understanding of conflicting desires in different minds, as well as with changes of mind within an individual across time. The data revealed that only the adults were able to adequately explain the Ulysses conflict. Study 2 asked children (4--7 years) and adults to choose among three explicitly presented competing explanations for self-subverting behaviors. The results suggest that an understanding of the influence of conflicting mental states on behaviors does not occur until at least 7 years of age.     

Social–Cognitive Processes in Preschool Boys With and Without Oppositional Defiant Disorder

The social–cognitive characteristics of 88 preschool boys with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and 80 nondisruptive boys were assessed 3 times over a 2-year period. Three questions were addressed: (1) Do social–cognitive processes (encoding, attribution, problem solving, and response evaluation) distinguish clinic-referred preschool boys from peers without behavior problems? (2) What is the relation between preschoolers' social–cognitive processes and observed problem behavior? (3) Are the social–cognitive processes of clinic boys with ODD influenced by comorbidity with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? Boys were presented hypothetical, peer-oriented social dilemmas to resolve. At all 3 assessments, clinic boys were twice as likely as were comparison group boys to generate aggressive solutions. Relative to comparison boys, clinic boys' encoding of social information was less accurate. The groups did not differ in their attributions or response evaluations. Verbal IQ and language skills were modestly correlated with problem solving and encoding. Within the clinic group, social–cognitive processes were not affected by ADHD comorbidity and they showed little relation to later diagnostic status or severity of behavior problems.     

Parents who report using illicit drugs: findings and implications from the DRUGNET study

In recent years, a national discussion has emerged concerning what parents should tell their children about their own past drug use. DRUGNET is an ongoing, on-line survey of successful, healthy, adults who occasionally use illicit drugs. This paper reviews data from a subset of this survey, namely, those respondents who were parents with self-reported use of at least one illicit drug. The sample (n = 325) was predominantly white men who reported having above average education and household incomes. Their mental health as measured by the General Well-being Schedule was similar to the national norm. Respondents reported using drugs to manage parental stress and expressed concerns over how to communicate with their children and legal risks related to their own drug use. The limitations and the implications of these data are discussed.     

Removing the Gag that Binds: An Examination of Therapeutic Implications of Political Correctness

This paper examines both positive and negative influences of political correctness on family therapy. The authors contend the political correctness movement has limited assessment and joining in the therapy room. Impact on self-of-the therapist is considered. Strategies for combating the political correctness movement are discussed.     

Evaluation of Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP): a school-based prevention program for reducing violence among urban adolescents.

Evaluated Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP)--a 6th-grade universal violence prevention program. Classes of 6th graders at 3 urban middle schools serving predominantly African American youth were randomized to intervention (N = 321) and control groups (N = 305). Intervention effects were found on a knowledge test but not on other mediating variables. RIPP participants had fewer disciplinary violations for violent offenses and in-school suspensions at posttest compared with the control group. The reduction in suspensions was maintained at 12-month follow-up for boys but not for girls. RIPP participants also reported more frequent use of peer mediation and reductions in fight-related injuries at posttest. Intervention effects on several measures approached significance at 6-month and 12-month follow-up. The program's impact on violent behavior was more evident among those with high pretest levels of problem behavior.     

A computerized test of speed of language comprehension unconfounded by literacy

A computerized version of the Silly Sentences task developed for use with children is found to be equivalent to the pencil‐and‐paper version from the SCOLP test with UK undergraduates, and is usable by a sample of young UK children. Because the sentences are presented aloud instead of being written, the computerized test is not affected by literacy skills. Translated into Kiswahili, the task was used in Tanzanian schools, despite the absence of an electricity supply and a very different cultural background. The decision latencies had a test–retest reliability of 0.69 over 5 months, and were independent of age and baseline decision speed. The task appears appropriate for longitudinal studies, including those in developing countries. Given its simplicity and the correlations with the original SCOLP version of the task, it may also be useful in studies on literate adults. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The persistence of a misconception about vision after educational interventions

Children and adults, like many ancient philosophers, believe that seeing involves emissions from the eye. Several experiments tested the strength of these “extramission” beliefs to determine whether they, like other scientific misconceptions, are resistant to educational experiences. Traditional college-level education had little impact. Presenting a simplified lesson, stressing visual input, and a lesson directly counteracting the vision misconception had an impact, but for older participants the effect was evident only on short-term tests. Despite some gain due to learning, overall the results demonstrated the robustness of extramission beliefs.     

Characteristics of Children Presenting to a Behavioral Treatment Program for Pediatric Headache

This study examined headache characteristics and psychological variables associated with pediatric headache in a specialty treatment clinic. Children were referred by pediatric neurologists to a hospital-based pediatric behavioral medicine clinic for behavioral treatment in conjunction with medical management of the pain. Headache typology of the children indicated that 1/3 of the sample reported at least daily headaches, and a large percentage of patients described experiencing headaches that lasted for more than a day (26%). Child and parent report of pain revealed a fairly high level of correspondence for headache activity. Regarding other psychological characteristics, children in this study endorsed higher than expected levels of somatization even after adjusting for headache symptoms. Compared with children's report, parents' report showed only slightly higher levels of secondary gain experienced by children because of pain. Gender differences were not found. The implications of these findings for improving our understanding of pediatric headache are discussed.